Get ready for some tapas, sangria, sun and cinema with the 48th annual San Sebastian Film Festival, kicking off 21 September. The fest opens with a screening of La Comunidad (Commonwealth) by Alex de Iglesias -- the first time since 1992's screening of The Master Swordsman by Pedro Oleo -- that a Spanish film has opened the event. It is also marked by the departure of festival director Diego Galan, who announced in July that this would be his last festival in the position.
Named in May by Talk magazine as one of the Top Five festivals for glitz in the world, this year's Donostia Film Festival (better known as San Sebastian) promises to be an event full of glamour and good cinema on the shores of Europe's celebrated resort town. The festival began in 1953 as an "International Film Week" to screen and market films. One year later, it was re-named "International Film Festival" and in 1955 it awarded its first prizes - the silver "Conchas" - which turned to gold in 1957. Today the festival retains its spirit of showcasing and strives for liberal presentations of films, long-since the days of censorship.
The 2000 festival is divided into two major sections: the Official Competition and the Zabaltegi. Films in competition include The Weight Of Water by Kathryn Bigelow (also at Toronto), Harrison's Flowers by Elie Chouraqui, Commonwealth (La Comunidad) by Alex de la Iglesia, The Other Side (El Otro Barrio) by Salvador Garcia Ruiz, and more.
For the 2000 edition, the Zabaltegi has been divided into two separate sidebars: the Festivals Top (featuring pictures that have been popular on the festival circuit) and the New Directors section. Festivals Top will open with the Cannes hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon from director Ang Lee, which foreshadows a schedule rife with Cannes films, including Under Suspicion, Summer or 27 Missing Kisses, Amores Perros, A La Verticale de L'Ete, and many more.
The top prize at the festival is the Gold Shell prize for the Best Film, which last year went to C'est quoi la vie by Francois Dupeyron. Some of the other prizes awarded at the festival are the Silver Shell for best director, the Silver Shell for the best actress, the Silver Shell for the best actor, and the Jury Prize for the best photography. In addition, Donostia awards the highest cash prize on the festival circuit, the New Directors Award, an award of 150, 000 Euro (about $145, 000) conferred by an international jury and to be shared between the producer and director of the winning film.
Another highlight is the The Donostia Prize, which awards a lifetime of achievement in the film industry. Gregory Peck was the first recipient of the prestigious award in 1986, and he has been followed by Bette Davis (1989), Claudette Colbert (1990), Anthony Perkins (1991), Lauren Bacall (1992), Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve (1995), Al Pacino (1996), Michael Douglas, Jeremy Irons and Jean Moreau (1997), John Malkovich and Anthony Hopkins (1998). All the recipients have come to San Sebastián to receive their prize and show their appreciation.
Added programs at Donostia include the special screenings at the Anoeta Velodrome theater, and a speical photogaphy exhibit, documenting the history of the festival. In honor of the 15th anniversary of the construction of the gigantic Velodrome theatre (with seating for 3,000 people) the fest will screen Novecento, from Bernardo Bertolucci, with the legendary director on hand to present his masterpiece. Other films scheduled to screen include Cecil B. Demented, by John Waters and starring Melanie Griffith and Stephen Dorff. Waters himself will present the film. Other films on the lineup include The Little Vampire (with a special discount for adults accompanied by children), Dinosaur (the latest from Disney Studios), X-Men and more.
In addition, the photography exhibit "1000 Imágenes-1000 Irudi" ("A 1000 Pictures"), will open on 15th September at the Kursaal Centre's new Kubo Kutxaespacio del Arte, until 30th October. The event was conceived by Juan Ramon Martin and presents the history of the region and the festival in a series of images.
This year's event promises to be an international cinematic showcase - let's just hope El Sol decides to make an appearance.
